Mary Carolyn Davies. Cloistered. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

Cloistered

By Mary Carolyn Davies


TO-NIGHT the little girl-nun died.
Her hands were laid
Across her breast; the last sun tried
To kiss her quiet braid;
And where the little river cried,	5
Her grave was made.

The little girl-nun’s soul, in awe,
Went silently
To where her brother Christ she saw,
Under the Living Tree;	10
He sighed, and his face seemed to draw
Her tears, to see.

He laid his hands on her hands mild,
And gravely blessed;
“Blind, they that kept you so,” he smiled,	15
With tears unguessed.
“Saw they not Mary held a child
Upon her breast?”